Improvement in bee-hives



, when desired.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN vA. BARKER, OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

IMPROVEMENT IN. BEE-HIVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Pat-ent N0. l 86.525, dated .January 23, 1877; application tiled To all whom. it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BARKER, of Wilmington, in the. county of New Hanover and State of'North Carolina, have invented certain new-and useful Improvements in Bee- Hives, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to* certain improvements in the construction of bee-hives, its object being to' guard against the entrance of moth or worms, and prevent the deposit of the eggs of the moth, should the same by any means find access to the interior of the hive V and; further, to provide a hive that can be cheaply constructed, and readily taken apart forinspection, when desired.

My invention consists of a casing of suitable material, preferably of wood, within which islocated two or morecommunicating chambers, constructed of metal, the upper chamber being provided with a glass front, which sets oppositea door in the wooden casing when in position, and the lower one being provided with a guarded passageway extending below, for the entrance'ot" the bees, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, the letter A represents the exterior casing, preferably of 'a rectangular form, and constructed of wood `and B, a stand or table for supporting the same. The

said casing is provided with a hinged door near the top, through which the upper metallic chamber C may be inserted andV removed, and has an open bottom for the insertion and removal of the lower metallic casing D.

The upper Vchamber' C is constructed of metal, preferably of sheet metal, such as tinned sheet iron or zinc, of rectangular shape, and of such size as to be readily inserted through the door in the upper part ot' the exterior casing, and is provided with a glass front, which comes opposite the door in said exterior casin g when in place, through 'which the interior, of the hive may be inspected The lower casing islikewise constructed of metal, and is` provided with a detachable boti tom, d, having legs dl at each corner, by

`the table B, and projecting over a vertical October 3, 1876. i

standard, el, secured to a cross-piece, e2, fastenedbetween the standards of the table, said vertical standard serving as a means by whichthe bees can enter the passageway d2.

The letter F represents two shields or guards, secured to the under side of the stand or table top, for concealing the mouth ot' the passage-way. Above the upper end of the passage-way is secured a metallic guard-plate, G, leaving suitable-opepings gat its edges for the entrance ot' the bees.

The interior of the lower chamber' is provided with -a series of bars, H, to Vserve as supports for the honey-comb, and the upper and lower chambers communicate with each other by means of apertures J K, the apertures inthe upper compartments having dependent fianges, which set into the aperture in the lower compartment, making a secure joint.`

As thus constructed, it will be seen that the entrance to the hive is eft'ectually lguarded by the guards F and'G, making it almost impossible-for the moth or worms to find an entrance; and as the interior walls of thehive arecomposed wholly ot" metal and glass, no place is aorded for the lodgment otl eggs, should the vmoth by any possibility get access' to the interior ot' the hive.

Thelower chamber, it will be perceived,

may be readily removed from the exteriorI easing through its open bottom, while the npper chamber can be removed with facility, or inspected through the door in the upper part ofthe casing, as occasion Vmay require.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l l. In combination with the lower metallic chamber, the downwardly-extending passageway, and vertical standard projecting within the same, substantially as described.

. 2. In combination with the downwardlyextending passage-way, the guards'F and G, for protecting the entrance of the hive, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claimv the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN A. BARKER.

Witnesses:

' WM. L. JAcoBs, t' L. T. BowDEN. 

